Anna Mather 1737

Here Lyes Buried the Body
of Mrs. ANNA MATHER,
Widow of the Revd. Doctor
INCREASE MATHER of Boston:
Note She was Formerly
the Wife of the Revd. Mr.
JOHN COTTON of Hampton:
She Deceased March the
29th, 1737: In the
74th Year of Her Age.

Footstone:
Mrs. ANNA MATHER

It will be remembered by those familiar with the early history of Massachusetts that Rev. John Cotton, minister of the first church in Boston, was twice married before coming to New England and that his eldest son, Seaborn, born on the voyage, as the name implies, was son of the second wife Sarah Hawkridge, the widow of William Story and said to have been a dear friend of the first Mrs. Cotton (Elizabeth Horrocks). Four years atfer Mr. Cotton's death in 1652, his widow, Sarah, married Rev. Mr. Richard Mather of Dorchester. She was buried in King's Chapel Ground in Boston. Her son Rev. Seaborn Cotton became minister of Hampton, N. H., where he died. He was succeeded by his son Rev, John Cotton who died at Hampton, N. H. in 1710. His wife was Anna, dau. of Thomas Lake, a merchant of Boston, and a niece of Sir Edward Lake, LL.D., Chancellor of the Diocese of Lincolnshire, Eng.

Thomas, only son of John and Anna Cotton, came into possession of the part of the Cotton Farm east of Cypress Street and in 1740, after removing to Pomfret, Conn., sold it to Ebenezer Davis. This Thomas Cotton was a farmer and lived in Brookline from abt. 1711 to abt. 1739. His mother had married for a second husband Rev. Increase Mather of Boston, son of the Rev. Richard Mather above named. She died in Brookline of small-pox in 1737, and was buried in the old Walnut Street Ground.

Rev. John Cotton of Boston had a son, Rev. John Cotton of Plymouth. His son, Rev. Roland Cotton was minister of Sandwich. After him came Rev. John Cotton of Newton and from him the western half of the Cotton Farm passed to various owners.
H. F. W., p. 221, corrected by C. F. W., 1917.